Sanding device for cars



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(No ModeLS 0...,B'-H0LBBRT@ SANDING DEVIGB PoR GARS.

No. 517,044.l

Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

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STATES CLARENCE E. HOLBERT, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

SANDING DEVICE FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,044, dated March 27, 1894. Application filed May 27, 1893. Serial N0. 475,735. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. HoLBER'r, of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Sanding the Rails of Street-Railways, Tramways, dac.; and I do hereby declare that thev following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices which are attachable to cars or like vehicles, for the purpose of sanding or roughening the rails of the tracks on which such vehicles run, so as to afford a firm hold thereon, for the driving wheels.

The object of my invention is to supply a' device which shall be strong, cheap, durable, easy of construction, and simple in mechanism; which may be readilyand easily applicable to all classes of street or other cars, Whether on surface or elevated tracks; Whether propelled by electric orother motors; 'and which may be readily and easily operated by any person having charge or control of such cars or vehicles, and at any time, and whether running forward or backward, or at rest.

My invention consists of various parts, and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica tion, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1. illustrates a sectional view of my invention through the line cc. cc. of Fig. 3., showing in detail the interior arrangement thereof: its location with reference to the track to be sanded, and the operating meehanism thereof; also in section the platform, floor, seat, and wheel of the car. Fig. 2. is 'a sectional view of said sand box along the line y. y. of Fig. 3. Fig. 3. illustrates a top plan View of my invention, showing the sliding rack, toothed sector, spiral spring, ratchet and dog, by whichr sand in the box is agitated and prevented from caking. Fig. 4. is al1 enlarged, detailed, plan view of the toothed sector` sliding rack, ratchet Wheel, and dog 0r pawl, and spring controlling said dog or pawl, by means of which my invention is operated, and showing the box cover removed. Fig. 5. is a detailed view of the slide valve for opening and closing the discharge pipe leading from the sand box to the track or rail to be sanded.

In the drawings A represents a box or sand hopper, and a. the sand or discharge pipe leading therefrom to the rail to be sanded. This box may be constructed integral with the discharge pipe a. by casting, or made in two parts andthe upper and lower portions thereof friveted together. Its upper portion is cylindrical, and its lower portion funnel shape, as shown in the drawings. The pipe a. is provided with a sliding sleeved extension a. which may be extended so as to bring its lower end almost in contact with the rail to be sanded, and directly in front of the car wheel, and it may be adjusted on said pipe a. so that it may be at any required height above the rail. A collar and set screw a2. are provided sothat said sleeve may be adj usted and firmly held at any required point on said plpe.

The lower ends of pipe a. and sleeve a. are so shaped that the greater diameter of the openings therein may be parallel with the rail, for the purpose of preventing the accumulation of mud and snow in said openings.

The sand box may be placed under a seat in the forward or rear end of the car, the licor of such car being properly pierced to allow passage of the discharge pipeand play to the rack lever H. hereinafter described, as shown in Fig. l.; or it may be attached to the under surface of the iioor of a car or other vehicle; or in any other relative position that may be found best, depending upon the construction of the car or vehicle, without in any manner aecting my invention, which is not limited to any particular mode of attachment, whether described in this specification or not.

In the drawings: in Fig. 1. the sand box is IOO shown as being located in the forward end of a car, and in front of one of its wheels.

B. is the flooring of the car in which is a proper opening b', to allow the passage of pipe a. and also the proper working of the rack lever hereinafter described; and b. is the seat under which said sand box is located. This box is shown as seated upon the flooring of the car, the funnel shaped portion merging at the point b into the discharge pipe a. and the flooring B. fitting closely around the bottom of the box A., thus holding the same firmly in place.

C. is a vertical rotatable shaft, passing down through the center of said box A., and it is provided with (preferably) three sets of trans verse blades c. c and c2. though a greater or less number may be used, and which maybe set at right angles with their shaft, or at any other preferred angle their object being to agitate the sand within the box A. as desired, and at the same time to force the sand down toward the discharge pipe d. For this purpose the outer ends of the blades have a twist or turn as shown, so that they shall exert a direct pressure downward and at the same time agitate the sand within the box. These blades should severally extend outward nearly to the inner sides of said box, so as to act upon all the sand within the same, and prevent caking. The lower end of said shaft C. is formed into a conveying screw c3. in the shape of an auger, and extends downward a full turn within the upper end `of the discharge pipe a, and is of such relative diameter that it nearly fills the opening into said discharge pipe.

It will be seen that when box A. is filled with sand, whether dry or wet, and shaft C. with its blades c. c' c2. is turned in the proper direction, the sand is cut up and forced downward by the blades to the conveying screw c3. which in turn, forces sand into pipe a.

l., 2. and 3. indicate transverse bars or sills forming part of the frame work of a car seat, and extending from the outer to the inner side of its frame. Of these, the bar 3. is wider than l. and `2., for the purpose of affording a bearing or foot for the rod hereinafter described. A bar 4t. is provided crossing said bars l., 2. and 3., at right angles, and removably attached to their upper sides. The upper end of shaft C. extends above the top of box A. and has a bearing in cross bar 4. in

order to give the shaft the proper steadiness of motion.

D. is a box of sheet iron or other suitable material, which is set into the top of box A. partially filling the same, and secured in any suitable manner. I prefer to secure it by seating its oppositeends on cleats attached to the inner surface of box A (as shown at e'. in Figs. 1. and 2.) the same being secured by said screws.

The office of box B. is to protect the operating mechanism hereinafter named, from dust and dirt, and for that purpose its top d. is removable. Openings are made in the bottom and cover of said box, allowing the free passage of the shaft C. through the same, and so that said shaft may be rotated freely. Threaded screws provided with nuts d2. pass down through the cross bar 4., into the top of box D. holding the saine with the box A. more securely and iirmly in place. These screws with the cover d. may at any time be removed giving access to the running gear within said box.

A `toothed sector E. is provided, and loosely arranged around the upper part of shaft C, in such manner that it rests upon the upper surface of the bottom of the box D. This ysector is provided with a pivoted pawl or dog e. and a spring e', to keep the pawl constantly in engagement. I have preferred to construct the sector partially toothed as shown in the drawings, though the cogs or teeth therein may extend all around, ifdesired. Above this sector and ixedly attached around the shaft, is a ratchet wheel F. the teeth of which are engaged by one end of pawl e.

A sliding rack G. is provided, which passes through openings'in the end of box D., and its cogs engage with the cogs of the sector E. One end of said rack G. is attached to a spiral spring g. which in turn is attached to a threaded rod g. which passes through the transverse bar 3. and is secured on the outer side thereof by a nut"`g2., so that by turning this nut, the tension of said spring may he taken up or regulated to any extent desired.

H. is the rack-actuating lever, pivoted at or near its center in a bracket 7L. attached to the side of box A, its upper end being pivoted at h. to one end of the sliding rack G, and its lower end is pivotally attached at h2. to a pitman or connecting rod h3. A sliding valve 5. is provided, one end of which is pivotally attached to the rack lever Il at h4., and passing into and through the discharge pipe a. by openings provided for that purpose in such manner that its normal position is to entirely close the upper end ot' said discharge pipe a., and prevent the escape of sand therefrom. An opening 5*. is provided in said valve and preferably in the form shown in Fig. 5. though any other proper form may be used, and so arranged that the escape of sand from the sand box maybe graduated at will by the operator, by fully or partially opening said valve in a manner hereinafter described.

I. is a two-armed lever pivoted at the point ofjunction of its two arms, in a bracket, or hanger 6. attached to the under su rface of the platform of the vehicle. The vertical arm of said lever I. is provided with a series of openings by means of which it is connected with rods h3. in such manner that the proper gear may be regulated at will by means of bolts and nuts inserted through corresponding openings in said vertical arm rod. To the outer end of the horizontal arm of said lever IOO IIS

is pivoted at'7. a vertical treadle bar 8. passing upv through an opening in the car platform. A removable pin or bolt may be inserted in a hole 9, in bar 8, to limit its downward movement; and when removed, this bar may be moved entirely down.

L represents a car .Wheel above and in front of which my sand box is located.

The operation is as follows: The box A is filled with sand through the uncovered portions of its top and which are on each side of the box D., and when the sand is dry itis retained in box A, by the side valve 5. closing the upper end ofthe discharge pipe a; When it is desired to discharge sand from box A, the operator presses down the vertical pedal bar 8, which in turn depresses the horizontal arm of the lever I and forces its vertical arm a corresponding degree rearward. This carries with it the pitman h3., which, communieating its action tothe sliding .valve 5, opens the same by forcing the opening 5*. therein partially or wholly (as the case may be) within the discharge pipe d. At the same time the upper end of the rack lever H. is drawn forward carrying with it the sliding rack G. which, in turn, through the meshing of its cogs with those of the sector E., actuates it. rlhe dog or pawl e. engaging the teeth of the ratchet F which is keyed on the shaft C, rotates said ratchet, and with it the shaft O and its attached blades c. c. c2. to a corresponding degree. The opening of said valve 5. and the rotating action of shaft C. beingl simultaneous, the sand in box A. is cut by the arms or blades c. c. c2. and forced downward to the lower end of said shaft, when being caught by the screwv conveyer c3, itis forced into the upper end of the discharge pipe a. If the sand in box A be dried, it will `iiow out by gravity as long as desired, through the pipe thus opened. When the operator releases the pressure on the pedal bar 8, the spiral spring g. pulls back the sliding rack G and with it the sector E. and pawl e. which takes a new hold on the ratchet F, and at the same time the sliding valve 5. is closed. When the pedal bar 8. is again depressed the same action again occurs, the ratchet F and shaft C and its attachments acting in the manner of an intermittent'clutch. By thisv means the sand in box A can be forced out by the operator in such vquantities and at such times as may be required, and whether the car be at rest, or in motion.

I claiml. In a device for sanding rails, a funnelshaped sand-box, combined with a vertical rotatable shaft having a series of transverse blades of graduated lengths adapted to the form of the funnel, such blades having their ends made with twists or propellers as set forth to propel the sand downward, all substantially as set forth. Y l

2. In a rail-sanding device, the combination with a funnel shaped hopper; of a series ofl blades of graduated lengths corresponding in length to the tapering walls of the hopper,

having twisted ends and all secured one set above the other on the same shaft centrally located and rotatable within the hopper, said shaft terminating in a conveying` screw or propeller, nearly filling the outlet from the hopper; and a valve to open or close the outlet below such conveyer, all substantially as shown and describe 3. In a device for sanding or roughening rails, in combination, a funnel-shaped sand box or hopper having a discharge pipe, and adapted to lead sand from said box to the rail to be sanded; a vertical, rotatable shaft passing down through the center of said box, and having a series of blades of graduated lengthsand having at its lower end a conveying screw, and extending within the upper end of said discharge pipe; a valve adapted` to open and close said discharge pipe; and v means substantially as described for operating said shaft and valve, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a device vfor sanding or roughening rails, the combination of a sand box the upper part of which is cylindrical and its lower part funnel-shaped; a cylindrical discharge pipe from the same; an extensible and adjustable sleeved spout adapted to be raised or lowered on said pipe; a rotatable vertical shaft passing down through the center of said sand box, its lower end being shaped like an auger and extending within the opening of said discharge pipe; a valve for opening and closing said discharge pipe; and a series of transverse arms or blades of` graduated lengths attached to said shaft, and a means for operating the same, all substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

5. In a device for sanding or roughening rails, the combination of a box or hopper partly cylindrical but funnel-shaped below such cylindrical part; a vertical, rotatable shaft extending from the top thereof and terminating in a suitable discharge pipe the lower end of said shaft being formed as aconveying screw: a series of transverse graduated blades or arms having'twisted or down- IOO IIO

ward-propelling ends and attached to and rotating with said shaft to agitate andv forceY downward the sand within said box; a toothed sector loosely adjusted around said shaft near its top; a ratchet wheel keyed on adapted'to engage one end of a dog or pawl pivoted on said sector; a spring attached to said toothed sector serving to keep the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth; a sliding rack engaging and meshing with the cogs of said sector, and adapted to move the same in either direction; and suitable means-for operating said sliding rack, substantially as and for the purposes described. l

6. The combination, in a device for sandingA or roughening rails; of the sand box A and its discharge pipe ct. and adjustable said shaft,`

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sleeve spout a. the shaft C with its transverse justing pegr 9, substantially as and for the blades made with twisted or propelling ends purpose described. Io and auger shaped lower end c3.; the valve o1' In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my eut off 5; the loose toothed sector E, With its hand this 17th day of May, A. D. 1893.

5 attached pawland spring; the ratchet F, slid- CLARENCE E. HOLBER'I.

ing rack G, and its adjustable reacting spring Witnesses: g; the protecting box D, rack lever H, pitman M. I. HUMISTON,

h3., lever I, and the treadle bar 8, with its ad- M. V. OSBORN. 

